What is this?

[willone242]

Hi - I am sorry to bother you with this, but it is kind of driving me mad trying to figure out what it is. I found this at a antique market in Warszawa last week, and I guess it is from the 30-40s. I worked as an military officer for a few years with mine and bomb disposal, and I kind of get the feel that it might be a timer device for a bomb or torpedo? But I guess it also might just be for industrial use. Has any one here seen such an item before? In the metal can/cartridge, it is set upon thre sliders/bolts, so you just lift it out. I get the feeling it comes in a can, you just pul it out and mount it in the same way in the device, what ever it might be?

Best regards.

William Forsth

SWEDEN

[willone242]

Here are some more picture

[Tony]

My first thoughts are the same as yours. I hope someone has a definite answer as I'd be interested in knowing too.

Tony

[willone242]

No ideas any one? I written to the company, but I heard nothing :-(

[Claudius]

Hello William Forsth;

Welcome to the forum. I tried to figure out what your device is, but I couldn't come to a conclusion.

I will share with you what I understand about this item. I believe your first photo of the metal manufacturing label is very informative.

Starting off; the manufacturer is Novitas S.A., headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. I couldn't find anything on this company.

Next is the Type; "LW" but without the company records of the different models and makes of devices they made, this isn't very helpful.

Next is "10 A" and " 250 V" along with "~"

The 10 A is for 10 Amps and the 250 V is 250 volts. The ~ is not for a battery, and that would suggest a remote device. The "~" symbol is for alternating current. Like the "10" and the "250" the metal label was specifically marked to indicate that this device needs A/C current.

Lastly, again the engraved number is hard to read but is it "168389"? That is the patent number. If you could access the Swiss patent records and look up this number it will tell you EXACTLY what this is for.

Overall, I think that you are right that this is a electrically run timer of some sort, with the 24 hour wheel found inside. But I don't think it is meant to explode at the end. Besides needing A/C current and not the independent power source that a battery would provide, the 24-hour wheel inside appears to be better suited to continuous uses over months or even years.

Sorry I couldn't be of any more help.

[Spasm]

I believe its a mains electric timer switch. The clock face is set to the present time at the pointer, the two moveable prongs are set at times to turn an appliance on and off over the 24 hour cycle.

[willone242]

Spasm, you mean mains like the main power grid ? i guess it is somethi g boring like that, but the shape and the build of the item just made my imagination run wild for a while. My wife got a friend in germany who works in the patent office, gonna ask her if she can have a look for the number stamped in the front of the device.

[willone242]

http://novitas.ch/ The company that made it is still in existence, or at least some version of it

[willone242]

Claudius, I forgot to thank you, very good info. I guessed most of it, but that it was a patent number is intresting.... Gonna try to follow up on that, just cant drop this ite, have to get some more info about it ;-)